Duplicating machine



Aug. 29, 1939. F. R. FORD DUPLICATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV, 17, 1938 FIG. I.

PIC-3.21.

IS I8 ran k We a Id F vd Aug. 29, 1939. F, R. FORD 2,171,061

DUPLICATING MACHINE Wink im/471M Aug. 29, 1939. F, R. FORD 2,171,061

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lam-"k PM T34 .Zwvur/O M d a; 2

Ah'wneus Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES p nuruca'rme Mam Frank Ronald Ford, Sparkbrook, Birmingham,

England Application November 17, 1938, Serial No. 241,07 In Great Britain October 26, 1937 15 Claims. (CL. 101-1325) This invention-relates to duplicating machines of the type in which copy sheets and a master sheet bearing in reversed script the matter to be reproduced are passed in pressure contact between a cylinder and-a pressure roller, each copy sheet being moistened, before contact with said master sheet, by means of an absorbent pad to which moistening fluid is fed.

In such machines, the amount of moistening fluid used in a giventime depends upon two variable factors, one being the thickness and absorbent quality of the copy paper, and the other being the speed at which the machine is worked.

Hitherto it has been the usual practice to provide means for feeding suflicient moistening fluid to the mo stening pad for average conditions as regards quality of paper and speed of working. In Letters Patent No. 2,149,012, issued to me February 28, 1939, I have proposed the provision of means whereby the supply of fluid to the moistening pad can be regulated by reducing it when required. This method, however, does not provide for the case wherein the demand for moistening fluid exceeds the capacity of the feeding means by which the moistening fluid is supplied to the moistening pad.

The object of the present invention is to provide a remedy for this difliculty.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure l is a plan view of a machine to which the invention has been applied.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4-is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view in side elevation upon an enlarged scale showing the operating means for the moistening appliance.

Figure 6 is a sectional plan view showing the means for effecting adjustments in the moistenby which thecopy sheets can be pressed against the master sheet and fed through the machine.

The copy sheets, indicated at 5, are fed down a chute I1, and before reaching the nip between the cylinder l4 and pressure roller i5 they are pressed against a moistening pad I8 by means of 5 a pressure roller l9 which rises and falls in timed relation to the rotation of the cylinder l4.

The moistening pad I8 is located in a tray 20 forming the top of a tank 24 in which moistening fluid stands at any desired level and which is suitably supported between the side frames H and I2.

As thus far described, the machine may be of substantially the same construction as that which forms the subject of Letters Patent No. 2,048,543, issued to me July 21, 1936.

The base of the tray 20 has an opening 2| in which is situated an absorbent member 22, this latter being held in the part 23 of the tray 20 and being permanently in contact with the underside of the moistening pad l8.

Passing through the tank 24 is a rocking shaft 25, and within the tank this shaft is provided with two rocking levers 26. These levers carry a bracket 21 in which is mounted a feed member 25 28. This feed member is of absorbent material and may be of wick-like form doubled upon itself at the centre, its centre part 29 being intermitthe working of the machine.

Means are provided for rocking the shaft 25 to bring the feed member 28 out of contact with the absorbent member 22 twice in each cycle of operations, and such means can be adjusted, so

that the period during each cycle when the feed pad is in contact with the absorbent member 22 can be altered as desired.

- The oscillation of the shaft 25 is effected through suitable mechanism by means of a cam 30 on a cam shaft 3|. The cam shaft 3| is provided with a gear wheel 32 which engages a gear wheel 33 of equal size on a shaft 34, and the gear wheel 33 engages a gear wheel 35 on the spindle I3 of the master cylinder l4, this wheel 35 being twice the diameter of the wheels 32, 33. Thus the speed of rotation of the cam 30 is double that of the cylinder.

The cam 30 oscillates a lever 36 which is fixed on an adjustment pin 31 (see Figure 6). The pin 3'! carries a sleeve 38 which finds a bearing in the side frame l2, and fixed to the sleeve 36 on the outer side of the frame I2 is a collar 39 provided with a finger piece 40.

Fixed on the sleeve 36 on the inner side of the side frame is a collar 4| which constitutes an actuating member. This collar is adjustably locked to the lever 36 by providing the lever with a pin 42 which can be engaged in any one of a number of recesses 43 in the collar 4|. The lever 36 is fixed on the end of the adjustment pin 31 and the adjustment pin is provided with a handle or knob 44, a spring 45 acting between the latter and the end of the sleeve 36. By pushing the handle 44 in a direction parallel to the axis of the pin 31, the pin 42 is brought out of the particular recess 43 in which it is engaging, and when this has been done, the finger piece 46 can be operated to turn thesleeve 38, thus turning the actuating member 4| into a new position, after which the handle 44 can be released to allow the pin 42 to engage a fresh hole 43. It is thus possible to make an angular adjustment of the actuating member 4| in relation to the lever 36.

The actuating member 4| is provided with a pin 46 upon which acts a tension spring 41 ,engaging a fixed pin 48, this tension spring tending to rotate the actuating member in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 5.

In one face of the actuating member 4| is a sector-shaped recess 49, and mounted on the rocking shaft 25 is a member 50 which, as shown, is formed as a segment. This member 50 may, however, be in the form of a lever arm, one end of which projects into the recess 49.

The member 50 is of course disposed externally of the tank 24, and the member 56 is adapted to be engaged by one side 5| of the recess 49 in the actuating member 4| when the latter is rocked by the lever 36. Means, such as a spring 52, are provided for normally retaining the levers 26 in the raised position shown in Figure 2. The levers are rocked downwardly about the centre of the shaft 25 by the cam 30 twice in each revolution of the cylinder l4. The amount of lost motion between the side 5| of the recess 49 and the member 56 is, however, adjustable, so that the period in each cycle during which the feeding pad 26 is out of contact with the absorbent member 22 is controlled by the setting of the lever 36 in relation to the actuating member 4|.

Instead of, or in addition to, feeding the moistening fluid to the feeding pad 29 by means of the wick 28 whose central portion constitutes said pad, or by means of separate wicks, the pad 29 when moved away from the moistening pad i8 may be wholly or partially immersed in the moistening fluid, the latter preferably being contained in a trough which is kept filled to a constant level from a supply tank.

In the alternative construction illustrated in Figure 7, the levers 26 carry a trough or cup 53 which contains moistening fluid or -which takes up a supply from the tank 24 when the levers 26 rock downwardly.

The edge of the moistening pad |8 remote from the cylinder l4, or one or more separate wicks associated with said pad, may extend downwardly through a slot 54 in the tray 20, so that the upward movement of the levers 26 brings the fluid in the trough or cup 53 into contact with this depending member, the period of such contact during each cycle determining the amount of moisture received by the pad l8. The upward movement of the levers 26 is limited by stops 55.

In the further modification illustrated in. Figure 8, the levers 26 carry a trough or cup 53 similarto that above described and are periodically rocked downwards against the action of a spring, which may be the tension spring 52 shown in Figures 1 and 3, being thereafter released with a snap action against the stop 55 aforesaid, so that the fluid in the trough-dicup 53 is thrown against the underside of the moistening pad l8 or absorbent member 22. The amount of fluid reaching the pad H3 or member 22 at each operation of the mechanism may be varied either by adjusting the force with which the fluid is thrown or discharged or by varying the amount of fluid picked up each time the trough or cup 53 descends.

The force of the throw may be adjusted by varying the extent to which the levers 26 are moved angularly against the spring pressure before their release, and it is obvious that the greater the angular movement of the levers, the more violently will the fluid be discharged.

The angular movement of the levers 26. is preferably eifected by means of a rotating disc 56 carrying a, crank pin 51 which periodically strikes and pushes aside an arm 56 projecting laterally from the shaft 25. The disc 56 may be mounted on a spindle 59 carried by the adjacent side frame l2 and may be formed as a gear wheel which is driven by another gear wheel 66 on the shaft 3|.

With the above arrangement, the angular movement of the levers 26 may be adjusted by varying the distance from the tip of the arm 58 to the point at which the latter is first engaged by the crank pin 51, and for this purpose the arm 58 may be constituted by the projecting end of a screw 6| which passes diametrically through the shaft 25. The screw 6| has a knurled head 62 and is retained in its adjusted position by means of a spring 63 which is compressed between head and the shaft 25.

Alte atively, the levers 26 may be actuated by the means already described with reference to Figures 1 to 6, the cam 30, however, being in this case designed so as to give a steady downward movement to the arms 26 and then to release them suddenly, thus giving the required snap actionin the upward direction.

Instead of using a stationary absorbent pad, and a stationary moistening member, a movable absorbent pad or a movable moistening member, or an absorbent roller or absorbent travelling band may be employed as the moistening memher.

What I claim then is:

1. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a. rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a container for moistening fluid, said moistening pad being supported upon said container and having a part thereof exposed to the interior of the latter, and means within said container for feeding fluid therefrom I copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a feeding member dipping into said container and adapt-ed to become charged with fluid therefrom, and means for moving said feeding member alternatcly towards and away from said moistening pad, whereby fluid is intermittently conveyed to the latter at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder.

3. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder,-and apparatus for moistening said copy sheet before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening'fluid, a

stationary absorbent member disposed within said and out of contact with said absorbent member,

whereby fluid is intermittently conveyed to said moistening pad at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder.

4. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which 'said copy sheets are pressed, a supportfor said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, an absorbent feeding pad adapted for movement alternately towards and away from said moistening pad, a wick associated with said feeding pad and adapted to remain immersed in the fluid in said container during movement of said feeding pad, and means for operating said feeding pad in such a manner that fluid is conveyed thereby to said moistening pad at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder.

5. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatusfor moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad aga nst which said copy sheets are pressed, a container for moistening fluid, said moistening pad being supported upon said container and having a part thereof exposed to the interior of the latter, means within said container for feeding fluid therefrom to the exposed part of said mo stening pad at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder, and means for regulating the amount of fluid fed to said moistening pad at each revolution of said cylinder.

6. In aduplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a

feeding member dipping into said container and adapted to become charged with fluid therefrom, means for moving said feeding member alternately towards :"nd away from said moistening pad, whereby fluid is intermittently conveyed to the latter at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder, and means for regulating the amount of fluid-fed to said moistening pad by said feeding member'at each movement of the latter towards said moistening pad.

7. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before con tact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, it support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, an absorbcut feeding pad adapted for movement alternately towards and away from said moistening pad, a wick associated with said feeding pad and adapted to remain immersed in the fluid in said container during movement'of said feeding pad, means for operating said feeding pad in such a manner that fluid is conveyed thereby to said moistening pad at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder, and means for regulating the amount of fluid fed to said moistening pad by said absorbent pad at each operation of the latter.

.8. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a feeding member dipping into said container and adapted to become charged with fluid therefrom, means for moving said feeding member into and out of an operative position in which fluid can pass therefrom to said moistening pad, and drive means for said feeding member arranged so that the rate at which fluid is fed to said moistening pad by the latter is proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder, said feeding member remaining stationary in its operative position for a predetermined period each time it rcachcs such position.

9. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatuscomprising, a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a movable feeding member dipping into said container and adapted to be charged with fluid therefrom, means biassing said feeding member to an operative position in which fluid can pass therefrom to said moistening pad, means for automatically displacing said feeding member from its operative position a number of times proportionate to the revolutions of said cylinder, and means for varying the period during which said feeding member remains in its operative position after each movement thereof relatively to the period during which it is displaced from such position.

10. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact withsaid master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a feeding member dipping into said container and adapted to become charged with fluid therefrom, an arm carrying said feeding member and pivotable to 0 move said feeding member into and out of an operative position in which fluid can pass therefrom to said moistening pad, means biassing said feeding member to such position, a second arm rigidly connected to the first-mentioned arm and pivotable about the same axis, a member continuously oscillated through a constant angle at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder, said oscillating member being adapted on movement in one direction to act 0 upon said second arm in a manner to displace said feeding member from its operative position, and means for varying the proportion of its total travel during which said oscillatable member is inefiective to displace said feeding member.

11. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a feeding member dipping into said container and adapted to become charged with fluid therefrom, an arm carrying said feeding member and pivotable to move said feeding member into and out of an operative position in which fluid can pass therefrom to said moistening pad, means biassing said feeding member to such position, a second arm rigidly connected to the first-mentioned arm and pivotable about the same axis, a cam continuously driven at a rate proportionate to the speed of rotation of said cylinder, a follower lever co- 5 operating with said cam, a disc connected to said follower lever and oscillatable about the same axis, a projection on said disc adapted on movement thereof in one direction to act upon said second arm in a manner to displace said feeding 0 member from its operative position, and means for effective relative angular adjustment of said follower lever and disc whereby to vary the proportion of the total travel of said disc during which said projection is inefiective to displace said feeding member.

therefrom, means biassing said cup to another extreme position in which said moisteningpad can receive fluid therefrom, means for automatically moving said cup into the first-mentioned position so as to interrupt the passage of fluid to said moistening pad a number of times proportionate to the revolutions of said cylinder, and means for varying the period during which said feeding member remains in said last-mentioned position after each movement thereof relatively to the period during which it is displaced from such position.

13. ,In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a. master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, 9. support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a moving cup adapted alternately to take up fluid from said container and to throw said fluid in such a manner that it is received by said moistening pad, the number of movements of said cup being proportionate to the revolutions of said cylinder, and means for varying the force with which said fluid is thrown.

14. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure coritact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a cup adapted in one extreme position to dip into said container and to take up a supply of fluid therefrom, a spring biassing said cup towards another extreme position nearer to saidmoistening pad, a stop defining the second-mentioned position, and means for automatically moving said cup into the first-mentioned position a number of times proportionate to the revolutions of said cylinder and thereafter allowing said cup to return to said second-mentioned position under the action of said spring, whereby the liquid collected in said cup is discharged therefrom in such a manner as to reach said moistening pad.

15. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for bringing a succession of copy sheets into pressure contact with a master sheet on said cylinder, and apparatus for moistening said copy sheets before contact with said master sheet, said apparatus comprising a moistening pad against which said copy sheets are pressed, a support for said moistening pad, a container for moistening fluid, a cup adapted in one extreme position to dip into said container and to take up a supply offluid therefrom, a spring biassing said cup towards another extreme position nearer to said moistening pad, a. stop defining the second-mentioned position, a pivoted arm carrying'said cup, a second arm rigidly connected to the first-mentioned arm and pivotable about the same axis, a crank continuously driven at a speed proportionate to that of said cylinder and having a crank pin adapted at each revolution of said crank to act upon said second arm in a manner to move said cup into said first-mentioned position, said second arm thereafter riding past said crank pin'so that said cup returns to said second mentioned position under the action of said spring, and means for varying the effective length of said second arm so as to regulate the extent to which said cup is moved by said crank pin and consequently the force with which the fluid is thrown from said cup on return of the latter.

RONALD FORD. 

